BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After rallying to take a 5-3 lead,
Campbell could not hang on as they dropped the weekend finale to
Stetson by an 8-5 decision.
With the loss, Campbell dips to 22-19 overall and more importantly
6-14 in league play. The
win improves Stetson's record to 19-24 overall and 10-11 in A-Sun
play.
Parker Fleming (Lexington, S.C.) got the call on the mound for the
Camels, however his outing was short lived. The freshman allowed three runs on
three hits while walking the only other batter he faced. Ryan Hamme (Wilmington, N.C.)
moved from right field to the mound as he relieved Fleming.
With Campbell trailing 3-0, Hamme would pitch six innings of
scoreless baseball before giving up two runs in his final inning of
work. Hamme finished with
seven innings of work, allowing two runs on six hits, while
striking out four.
Campbell cut the deficit to two, when Kevin Nelson (Sunrise, Fla.)
scored on a Ryan Hamme RBI single through the right side. Campbell chipped away at the
deficit again when Bryan Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) hit a solo
home run to left field, cutting the Hatters lead to 3-2. The home run by Braswell was the
second this season and of his career.
Campbell broke through in the seventh inning en route to a 5-3
lead. With two outs, Ellis
Lowe (San Diego, Calif.) and Ryan Hamme both singled to give
Campbell base runners on first and second with two away. Brian Gana (Richland, Wash.) put
a charge into a Lindsey Caughel pitch, as the senior first baseman
sent a three-run home run over the left center field wall.
The Camels could not hold on to the two run lead, as Stetson scored
five runs over the final two innings. With Campbell trailing by three in the
home half of the ninth inning, it started with the heart of its
lineup at the plate. The
Camels failed to get any runners in to scoring position, as Ryan
Hamme flied out, Brian Gana struck out looking to start the
inning. Josh Holskey
(Roanoke, Va.) grounded out to end the game after Graham Fronk
reached on an error by second baseman Mark Jones.
Aside from the home runs by Bryan Braswell and Brian Gana, Campbell
was also led at the dish by Ellis Lowe and Ryan Hamme. The pair combined for seven hits, as
each scored a run; Hamme also drove in one of the Camels five
runs.
Campbell hurler Jonathon Lopez (2-4) was credited with the loss
after pitching just two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on
three hits and walking one batter.
Stetson's Nick Bohne was credited with the win in relief after
pitching the final 1.2 innings allowing zero hits and zero runs,
while striking out three of the six batters he faced.
Campbell will take a break from the diamond as exam week
approaches. The Camels will
return to the diamond on Friday night when they travel to Raleigh,
N.C. to face the N.C. State Wolfpack. First pitch at Doak Field is slated
for 6:30 p.m.
